Page 66 of Scarbound

Noeul laughed. “That makes no sense.”

“It makes perfect sense.”

They spent nearly two hours there. Ji-Woo stopped at every art stall, picking up prints and asking the artists too many questions. Duri bought them drinks while Noeul wandered slowly between the tables, looking through old postcards and handmade paintings. At one stall, he found a small print of a fox sitting beneath a moonlit sky.

“You like that one?” Duri asked beside him.

Noeul nodded. “It reminds me of a manhwa I used to read.”

Duri picked it up before Noeul could stop him.

“Duri…”

“It’s not expensive.”

“I can buy it myself.”

“I know.” He held it out to him. “But I want to.”

Noeul looked at him for a moment before accepting it. “Thank you.”

Duri smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Ji-Woo returned a few minutes later with a bag of pastries. “I found food.”

“You always find food,” Noeul said.

“And you always complain, then eat half of it.”

Noeul laughed and took a bite of the pastry in Ji-Woo’s hand anyway.

By the time they returned to the apartment, everyone was tired. They ordered dinner and chose a movie neither Ji-Woo nor Duri had seen. Ji-Woo claimed the couch first, taking up far too much space. Duri sat beside Noeul, their shoulders brushing whenever either of them moved. Halfway through the movie, Ji-Woo fell asleep with his head against the armrest.

Duri glanced at him. “He said he wanted to stay up all night.”

“He says that every time.”

“You used to be the same.”

Noeul looked at him. “You know that?”

“Ji-Woo’s told me stories.”

Noeul smiled faintly. “Only the embarrassing ones, I’m sure.”

Duri laughed, then turned back to the movie. For a while, neither of them spoke. Noeul’s phone vibrated on the table. The sound felt too loud in the quiet room. He already knew who it was before unlocking the screen.

I’ll be there at 11. We need to talk.

Reading the message sent a chill through Noeul. He hoped the meeting would involve nothing more than a conversation.

By the time the movie ended, it was late. Duri left after making Noeul promise to call if he needed anything, while Ji-Woo stayed behind with his brother. Mr. Choi stayed later than usual, unwilling to leave with Chung-Hee expected.

CHAPTER 27

As Chung-Hee had promised, the doorbell rang precisely at eleven. Mr. Choi and Ji-Woo stood beside Noeul when Chung-Hee entered the studio.

“You’re not alone?” Chung-Hee’s voice was calm, almost detached, as his gaze moved between Ji-Woo and Noeul.